The Upper West Regional Open Defecation Free (ODF) League Table has been launched in Wa with Nandom District attaining a district-wide ODF but several hundreds of households are still practicing open defecation in the Region.

The ODF league table was unveiled on the theme: "Achieving district-wide Open Defecation Free (ODF), the role of MMDA leadership".

The Upper West (UW) Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin-Salih, congratulated the chiefs and people of Nandom and the Nandom District Assembly for attaining a district-wide ODF status.

Nandom made the Region proud for achieving the remarkable success of being the first district in the country to attain ODF status, which implied that all households in the district have their own toilet facilities and no one defecated in the open.

"It is my hope that Nandom District Assembly develops a sustainability plan towards maintaining this enviable success.” And let me add that attaining district-wide ODF is just the beginning, you must work hard to sustain this status".

Dr Bin-Salih said this in a speech read on his behalf during the launch of the Upper West Regional ODF League Table.

The ODF league table ranks all the 11 Municipal and District Assemblies in terms of their efforts towards making their districts and municipalities ODF to foster health competition among the MDAs.

According to statistics update from the Regional Environmental Health and Sanitation Department indicated that Nandom District led the league table with 88 communities out of 88, which had been confirmed ODF.

The Nandom District Chief Executive, Mr Theddeus Aasoglenang said the success was gained through strict enforcement of By-Laws and commitment by the people to end open defecation in the district.

The Lawra District took the second position, which had 69 ODF communities representing 75 per cent out of 94 communities followed by Wa West with 156 ODF representing 72 per cent out of total number of 227 communities.

In the Daffiama/Bussie/Issa District, out of the 105 communities, 75 communities were declared ODF, representing 69 percent while in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, 103 ODF communities out of the 141 communities.

In the Lambussie District, 37 communities had been declared ODF out of the 58 communities; 31 communities in the Sissala West had also been confirmed ODF out of the 55 communities.

Jirapa municipality moved from 10th position of the second edition league table to 8th position with 37 communities confirmed ODF out of 116 communities.

Out of 138 communities in the Wa East District, 48 communities had been declared ODF, while in the Sissala East District, 10 communities acknowledged ODF out of 59 communities.

Wa Municipal which occupied the last position, recorded only five communities been ODF out of its 86 communities respectively.

The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Issahasku Tahiru Moomin, explained that Wa was the gate way where many people come in and out, making open defecation a common practice.

He appealed to the Municipal Environmental Health Officers to show more commitment to their work in the fight against Open Defecation.

He also urged residents to change their attitude and embrace the Community Led Total Sanitation to help harmonize the works of the Environmental Health Officers.